North Shore activists launch clean energy campaigns

Tuesday

Apr 18, 2017 at 12:31 AMApr 18, 2017 at 12:39 AM

Jennie Oemig beverly@wickedlocal.com @BeverlyCitizen

With federal clean energy programs under attack, local environmental activists gathered in Beverly, last week Friday to launch a statewide campaign calling on cities and towns in Massachusetts to commit to 100 percent clean, renewable energy.

Fred Hopps, who is leading the 100 percent renewable campaign in Beverly, said one of the reasons to move to clean energy is because of the effects on the environment from burning fossil fuels.

“As environmentalists, we’ve long been aware that we humans are degrading and exploiting our natural world,” he said. “And caught up in our collective, unsustainable lifestyles, it’s hard to know what we can do.”

In 1980, Dr. John W. Coleman, a well-known Beverly resident and school committee member who has since passed away, was able to get a solar panel field, named Greenergy Park, set up in Beverly as part of a research and development site for photovoltaics.

The 3,000 panels on the site produce about 94,000 kilowatt hours per year of energy. When it was constructed, the cost of the solar field was about $3 million; now, the same thing could be installed for about $400,000 or less.

“That’s one of the exciting things about clean energy,” he said. “The price is going way down. Coal jobs are not coming back despite what somebody might think. The future is in clean energy, for sure.”

Thanks to volunteers and the city of Beverly, Hopps said the site stands as the last remaining facility of its kind and is a testament to the durability and application of solar power.

“Even though it’s an antiquated site, there’s still a history to it. And that’s valuable … It’s really inspirational to see that it’s still a functional site, and it’s a fitting place to launch this campaign.”

Emily Kirkland, director of organizing for 350 Massachusetts for a Better Future, said the organization, along with Mass Power Forward, are excited to push forward and demand bold action on climate for Massachusetts towns and cities.

“We are facing a landscape in which the crisis is more acute than ever and the need for action is deeper than ever,” she said. “By setting a goal of 100 percent renewable energy, towns and cities can show bold leadership in confronting this crisis.”

Kirkland said 25 municipalities across the United States have already passed commitments to 100 percent renewable energy.

“We’re hoping to see dozens of towns and cities in Massachusetts join them,” she said. “Activists are launching campaigns all over the state now. And we really know that moving towards 100 percent renewable energy is what the science says we need. It’s where we need to get to to confront this crisis.”

Some Massachusetts communities are already doing their part and have taken steps to reach the 100 percent renewable energy goal.

“In Salem, we’re proud to be the first community in Massachusetts to have passed a 100 percent clean energy resolution,” said Jeff Cohen, who serves on the Renewable Energy Task Force in the Witch City and is a member of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby North Shore. “It’s non-binding, but it’s a great road map.”

The city is also looking into an offshore wind farm and is in the process of installing the state’s most innovative solar project on a couple schools.

Cohen noted that getting to 100 percent clean energy is very much a collaborative effort, and the city of Salem has had great coordination with local organizations such as Salem Alliance for the Environment, Salem Sound Coastwatch, 350 North Shore and Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

“This can’t just be individual communities,” he said. “We need to do this together.”

Carolyn Britt, an environmental activist who is leading the 100 percent renewable Ipswich campaign, said a strong citizens’ committee is key to keeping things on track.

“We all need to put in a huge amount of effort,” she said. “If we don’t have the enthusiasm when we’re on the front lines, who is?”

Research has shown that the Gulf of Maine is warming 99 percent faster than most of the other waters in the world.

“We have a special little challenge because we can expect out of that, that the sea level might be rising faster, also,” Britt explained. “I live on salt marsh. I can see some of that.”

Ipswich is one of the communities that is already spending money on sea level rise.

“We are in the planning process to look at how much we need to raise Jeffrey’s Neck Road,” Britt said, explaining that to meet FEMA’s proposed 100-year flood elevation increase they road would need to be raised 6 feet. “It’s the beginning of a real challenge of understanding what it means for our lives.”

John Livermore, the CEO of Healthy Home Healthy Planet and activist with Sustainable Marblehead, pointed out that nothing is more important than a stable climate.

“Everything we do – everything – is predicated on it,” he said. “And what’s the best way to ensure a stable climate? Yes, that’s right, to produce all of our electricity from renewable energy. We have the technology to do it. We recognize the urgency to do it. And now we’re creating the political will to do it.”

The Sustainable Marblehead community group is spearheading the community’s efforts to get a 100 percent renewables resolution passed through the Marblehead Board of Selectmen.

“The we plan to conduct a townwide carbon inventory and serve as a lead community in our collective efforts to address climate change,” Livermore said.

Several years ago, Livermore created the first net positive energy renovated home in the commonwealth.

“It’s just down the road in Gloucester and it produces more energy than it uses,” he said. “We haven’t paid an electric bill in over seven years. So, 100 percent renewable energy is not only possible, it’s already here and it works.”

In order to get state legislators to pass a law committing Massachusetts to 100 percent renewable electricity, Livermore said residents and communities need to lead by example.

“We need to show them that Massachusetts communities like Marblehead are serious about addressing climate change,” he said. “So let’s all envision the future we want – 100 percent renewable energy – and then get out there and do something to help make that happen.”

Alicia Hunt, director of energy and environment for the City of Medford, said climate change is very real and it’s seen every day.

“Climate change is a global issue, but it needs to be dealt with locally,” she said. “Countries are made up of states and of municipalities, and it is at the municipal level that we can really make a difference on our efforts to combat climate change.”

In Medford, Hunt said all middle school students attend classes within 1,000 feet of a wind turbine, while some are within 100 feet.

“These students grow up knowing that clean energy is real, it’s possible and you can live with it, just like the students in Beverly know from their solar field right here,” she said. “It’s important that they see it and they hear it.”

Hunt said it’s important that municipalities get behind efforts to achieve 100 percent renewable energy.

“Where the cities go, the state goes, and where the states go, the country will go … eventually,” she said, adding that local officials should help residents understand how they can help be a part of that movement. “We can’t do it all for you; we can’t do it without you. We all need to do it together.”